The remoteness of the Channel Islands create a haven for nesting seabirds. From migratory birds who use the islands as a stopover to year-round residents, the Santa Barbara Channel is home to a rich variety of seabirds.

Seabirds - species richness map

Figure App.F.15.7.. A series of maps showing some unexpected trends in seabird species presence (A,C) and persistnce of unepxected presence (B,D) around the Southern California Bight.

Figure App.F.15.7.. A series of maps showing some unexpected trends in seabird species presence (A,C) and persistnce of unepxected presence (B,D) around the Southern California Bight.

Click for Details Seabird species richness spatial anomalies (A,C) and persistence of hotspots (B,D) based on visual survey for seabirds during spring and summer CalCOFI surveys from 1987 to 2012. A spatial anomaly was computed from the grand spatial mean and standard deviation for each block. Cool colors denote blocks below the mean and warm colors denote blocks above. Higher species richness and hotspot persistence (red, yellow) is observed along the coast and around Channel Islands compared to offshore (blue). Seabird species richness calculations based on 68 species/taxa. Figure: Santora and Sydeman 2015